Australia's CBDC Pilot to Be Completed in 2023

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is expecting to complete its central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot by mid-2023, according to a white paper published on Monday.

The purpose of the pilot is to "explore innovative use cases" that could be supported by the issuance of a CBDC, a media release said. The white paper, which is a document produced by the bank that can later be used to inform future laws, said the project was also looking into regulatory considerations associated with a CBDC.

The paper did not reveal a commitment from the RBA to issue a CBDC but the bank is seeking feedback from industry participants that will "contribute to ongoing research." The experiment is expected to end in the beginning of next year with results to be published in mid-2023, according to the document.

Australia's CBDC research project kicked off in July and the pilot commenced in August. The document was published in the wake of Australian opposition politician Andrew Bragg criticizing the current government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, on its "inaction" when it came to crypto. The Albanese government has meanwhile announced it will use "token mapping" as a framework for regulation.

The white paper provides additional details on the CBDC project including that Australia's pilot currency would be called eAUD, and all participants in the project will need to be invited and approved.

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